Three budding chess masters from Culver City Middle School –Jack Bishop, a 6th-grader, Timothy Martin, an 8th-grader and president of the Chess Club, and Jake Gray, a 7th-grader and future president of the Chess Club – were honored Tuesday night at City Hall during a Culver City Board of Education meeting for placing first in a three-way tie at the second annual Toby Rubenstein Memorial Chess Tournament, established by Culver City resident Neil Rubenstein as a tribute to his late wife.
“Toby’s love of chess and children made this tournament in her memory a natural,” Rubenstein said. “The family is grateful to the district for making this annual event possible.”
The tournament was open to all Culver City Middle School students, 16 of whom participated in the competition. Rubenstein funded cash awards to each player in the tournament, as well as the artists who prepared publicity posters. He displayed a dedicated plaque that will hang in the school’s office, and included the names of this year’s co-champions.
Ruth Morris and Anthony Adamucci attended as faculty advisors. Morris founded the Chess and Games Club at Culver City Middle School in 2008. Adamucci, whom Morris described as an exceptional chess player, came on board later.
“My father, who was an avid chess player, died in 2009,” Morris said. “I’m so glad he lived to see me start the club.”